(WASHINGTON) - Today at the Indiana State Capitol, the Department of the Navy (DON), the office of the Indiana Lieutenant Governor and Duke Energy hosted a press event regarding energy security and resiliency initiatives in Indiana.

This event follows the recent announcement that the DON and Duke Energy are collaborating to develop a 24-megawatt (MW) direct current (17-MW alternating current) solar facility at Naval Support Activity (NSA) Crane. Projected to be one of Indiana's largest solar facilities, the project is awaiting approval from the Indiana Utility Regulatory Commission to begin construction.

The press event featured remarks by the Honorable Dennis V. McGinn, assistant secretary of the Navy for Energy, Installations & Environment; Eric Holcomb, lieutenant governor of Indiana; Melody Birmingham-Byrd, president of Duke Energy Indiana; and Duane Embree, director of the Indiana Office of Defense Development.

Senior leaders remarked on progress and potential for more public private partnerships as new energy technologies, regulations and tax credit extensions enable agencies to meet critical federal and defense energy and security goals, while also furthering Duke Energy and the state's commitment to energy resiliency in Indiana.

McGinn emphasized the importance of this project, "We greatly value our partnership with Indiana and with Duke Energy. It is collaborative and mutually beneficial efforts like this that helped the Department of the Navy surpass the Secretary of the Navy's goal to procure one gigawatt of renewable energy by the end of 2015. On-base projects provide energy security for the host and surrounding communities by physically securing assets, diversifying the local power portfolio and boosting the base's resiliency with the in-kind consideration received for use of Navy land."

"We are honored to welcome Secretary McGinn to Indiana as we express our support for the Duke Energy solar installation at Crane," said Holcomb. "Indiana is home to a number of critical defense assets, and we are proud of the amazing work being done at Crane to support American warfighters with the most advanced equipment in the world. We will continue to build upon our strong partnerships with these important military installations well into the future."

"Pending regulatory approval, the planned solar installation at Naval Support Activity Crane will be the first large utility-scale solar generating facility on Duke Energy Indiana's system. It's a key milestone that advances us toward the goal of operating our company in a sustainable way," said Birmingham-Byrd.